Seat structure



Sept. 7 1926. 1,599,365

F. B. KING ET AL SEAT STRUCTURE Filed March 18 1920 I. u L 0 Fi IIINVENTORS 5 .Fred. E. King BY if/ Harr- WLinds yJn Pdtente d Sept. 7,1926.

UNITED (STATE-S'- innn nma AND nanny w. LINDSEY, .13., or roLEno, onro,nssrenons; BY mnsmi, assronmnn'rs, 'ro THE wILLYs-ovERLaNn COMPANY, or'roLnno, OHIO, A conr'om rron or. 0310.

' sm'r s'rnucrunn A pnmm men-much 1a, 1920.- sum in. $66,885.1-

Our invention relates to improvements seat structures and isparticularly directed to the construction of seatsfor automobiles andother vehicles.

5 One object of the invention is to provide improved means for tying andbracing the border frame of a seat unit.

A further object of the invention is to providevimproved means forsecuring the 1 ends of transverse ties extending'betw'een the sides of aborder frame.

A further object of the invention is to provide im roved means forsecuring the ends of a p urality of transversely extending wires uponthe sides of a bor er fraine in such a manner as to produce ,a rigidsupportin structure.

A furt er object of the invention is to provide new and improved meansfor anchoring the ends of transversely extending wires upon the oppositesides of a frameand to so construct the ends of the wires and thatportion of the frame with which they are connected as to prevent theturning or twisting of the wires regardless of the manner in which theare anchored. Y

A further object of t e invention is to provide anew and improved methodof assembling and anchoring a plurality of transverse tie members uponthe opposite sides of a metal band to produce a frame unit upon whichthe upholstery of the seat mag be quickly secured.

ill another ob ect of which are first assembled a plurality oftransversely extending members for tying the sides of the frame togetherand thereafter forming u on the frame a plurality of 40 anchors forholding the transverse mem ers in the desired position so stitute meansfor tying and bracing the sides of the frame to form a rigid supportingstructure. Another obj which can be manufacture at a relatively low costand which will afford a strong and durable construction capableofwithstanding severe strains and stresses.

urther objects of the invention relate to economies of manufacture anddetails of construction as will hereinafter appear from" the detaileddescription to follow.

taken on line 5-5 of F1 of the, invention is to provide a frame betweenthe opposite sides that theywill con 1 The objects of the invention areaccomplished in one instance by the devices and means described in thefollowing specification, but it is evident that the same may be variedwithout departing from the scope of the invention as pointed out in theappended claims.

A structure constituting one embodiment of the invention is illustratedin the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification inwhich:

Figure I is a fragmentary view in perspective illustratingthe improvedmanner of connectin the ends 'of the frame tie members wit the sideportions of the frame.

Figure II is a fragmentarysectional elevation of a seat constructionembodying the invention.

Figure III is an enlarged detailed fragmentary sectional view takenthrough the base of the seat at one side thereof.

F1 re IV is a fragmentary sectional plan showing the manner ofassembling the transversely extending tie members upon the border frameprevlous to forming the anchors thereon to hold said members in the vdesired position and;

Figure V is an enlarged deltlailed section In the drawings simi arreference characters desi throughout t e several views.

In the embodiment of the invention as illustrated herein, 10 indicates a.border frame or band of metal which may-be rectangular in form or ofany other desired shape depending upon the shape of the seat to besupported by said frame. The upstanding plate portion of the frame isprovided with the upper and lower outwardly extending flange portions 11and 12 comprising generally a 'U-shaped member formed by the use of asuitable die, whereect of the invention is to pro vide a seat frame ofsim le construction Fi res III and IV.

within and extendlon itudin ally of the groove formed 'by the gatedwires 13 and 14 as. best shown in;

Iiieends of the wires are provided with the right angle bent portions 15which liev ate -corresponding parts anged portions 11 and f12' 0fthe-frame and said portions 15 are preferably turned inwardly at 16 to,ex-

7 tend parallel with the main bodyportion anchored within the groove bymeans'of the inwardlyv extendin lugs or projections 17 as best shown inigure' V and these pr ojections are formed by the use of a suitabletool, such as a punch which is preferably driven into or through theupper flang 20 of cloth or other suitable material which is referablyprovided at its lower side with r a order wire 21 serving to stiffen andstrengthen the casing to a certain degree. The casing with theindividually enclosed springs mounted therein is then placed upon thewire meshas shown in Figure II. A top border frame 22 of suitableconstruction is placed upon the casing 20 containing the springs .18 andsuper-imposed thereon is a cushion 23 having a covering 24 provided witha downwardly extending apron portion 11 of the frame to force the metal25 at the t om ge f Whi i Provided down into engagement with the bentportion of the wire. During this operation the frame is allowed to restupon a suitable base or support. and the punch is driven through theflange 11 from the outside thereof at a point substantially where thebend is made between the upstanding por tion of the frame and saidflange. The inwardly extending anchors or boss-like projections 17 ma bequickly formed by this method after t e frame has been practicallycompleted and such means serves as a very efl'ectual method of anchoringthe ends of the wires upon the frame to prevent the spreading of thesides of the frame when the load is applied thereto.

We have found in ractice that it is not necessary to provide t e,anchors 17 at.both ends of each wire for the reason that the interlacingof the wires particularly when in corrugated form prevents them frombe-v ing displaced one upon another as each wire is firmly held by-thosecrossing it. A great saving in the cost of manufacture is effected byconstructing the seat frame unit in th1s manner since only one half asmany operations are required for securing the ends of the wires by thismethod as might otherwise be necessary. While in the assembling of thewire meshing within the frame we prefer to first construct the frame asa continuous and unbroken band, the sides of which are sprung apart topermit the bent ends of the wires to be inserted within the groove, itwill be understood that the ends of the band may be left open orunconnected until after able manner such as by riveting or spot weldingor in any other preferred manner.

Any desired superstructure may be placed upon the wire-mesh but weprefer to employ a structure similar to that shown in Figure II in whicha plurality of relatively small coil springs 18 are positioned insuitable pockets'19 and enclosed in a flexible casing a pocket forreceivlng acord or wire 26 serving to provide a bead upon the lower edgeof the apron, said bead being engaged by a plurality of tongues 27struck outwardly from the frame member, it being understood that afterthe bead is inserted behind the tongues the same will be forcedinwardly'as shown in Figure III to secure the bottom of the apron uponthe border frame. 7

While the structure'shown and described herein is well adapted tofulfill the objects of the invention, it will be understood that certainchanges in the form, proportions and arrangement of parts may beresorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention andtherefore we do not limit the invention to the specific designand'construction shown and described except in so far as saidconstruction may be limited by the terms of the following claims inwhich it is our intention to claim all novelty inherent in the.invention, broadly as well as specifically. I

hat we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the class described, a frame comprising a band ofmetal formed by bending a plate'to provide top and bottom substantiallyarallel flange portions forming an inwar y opening groove, said topflange portion being bent upwardly substantially in line with theextremity of said bottom flange portion, a plurality of transverse tiemembers having their ends bent and disposed within said groove and lugsstruck downwardly from said top flange portion into retaining engagementwith the bent ends of said transverse tie members.

2. In a device of the class described, a frame comprising a bandof metalformed by bending a plate to provide top and bottom substantiallyparallel flange portions forming an inwardl opening groove, said topflange portion being bent upwardly substantially in line with theextremity of said bottom flange portion, a plurality of transverse tiemembers havingtheir ends bent and disposed within said groove, lugsstruck downwardly from said top flange portion into retaining engagementwith the bent disposed upon said tie members, upholstery earried'by saidsprings and an apron, depending from the up olstery and secured upon theupwardly bent portion of said top flange.

3. In a device of the class described; a

frame comprisinga band of metal having an upstanding wall, the lowerportion of which is bent outwardly and thence inwardly to form achannel-shaped base for the frame, a plurality of transverse tie-membershaving bent end portions disposed within the channel, and projectionsstruck in wardly from one wall of the channel by driving atool into themetal at points intermediate the edges of the band whereby to engagesaid end portions and secure them to the band.

4. In a device of the class described a frame'comprising a band ofmetal-having an upstanding wall, the lower portion of which is bentoutwardly and thence inwardly to form a channel-shaped base for theframe, a spring supporting unit comprising a plurality of interwovenwires havmg their endsbent and disposed within said channel, andprojections struck inwardly 1 from one wall of the channel by driving atool into the metal at points intermediate the edges of the band,whereby to engage and secure certainof the bent ends of said wires. r y

In testimony whereof they aifix their signatures. FRED'B. KING.

HARRY W. LINDSEY, JR.

